Collectible trading card games are known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,622,332, and RE37,957, describe such card games. Commercial examples of such games include Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon, Star Wars, MagiNation, and Shaman King. Each of these games employs different rules, although as a collectible trading card game, they include some or all of the following: collectability, casting cost, deck construction, tapping, and special ability cards. Collectability refers to a game that has a collectability element, for example, the ability to purchase additional game pieces/cards that each have levels of rarity from common, uncommon and rare cards/game pieces. Casting cost refers to a game mechanic element that requires the playing of at least one card or other game piece before other cards/game pieces are played. In other words, a player must play one or more cards/game pieces having a total number of points (or other attributes, such as colors or combination of colors, or have the appropriate number of symbols) before another type of card/game piece is played. Deck construction refers to allowing a player to customize his or her hand of cards or game pieces for use in play against an opponent under the rules of play. Tapping simply refers to designating a card or game piece as in play or in use by changing its orientation or otherwise designating it. Special ability cards or game pieces are those that alter the rules of play for at least one round during the game play.
Each of the various collectible games includes different features. For example, the Star Wars trading card game allows a player to play two or more cards representing the same Star Wars character to thereby enhance the value of power of that character. Other games employ the use of scratch off surfaces to reveal underlying numbers, clips to track points on a card, tokens to be placed on top of cards, and so forth.
Examples of collectible games not exclusively employing cards include Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures, Xevos, Warhammer, Shadowrun, Duels, and Mage Knight. Various card and other games have electronic counterparts. For example, in Magic Online™, players purchase virtual Magic: the Gathering cards and build online collections. They use these cards to build decks for play in Magic Online. And, just like with regular Magic: the Gathering cards, players can trade for the cards they are looking for. First, a player needs Magic Online software, an Internet connection, and an account. Since this allows players to join in from almost anywhere in the world, that means there are Magic games available to players continuously, with live opponents.
Next, Magic Online servers handle all rules associated with every card, but players do need to understand the rules to play well. However, players do not have to worry if a card works in a certain way or not: if the game permits it, it does. Magic Online also keeps each player's cards in an organized virtual collection with its own search engine.
For new players, Magic Online features a “Training” Room where they can learn different aspects of playing a Magic game. Between walk-through tutorials, a practice room where players can play against other folks new to the game, and an introduction to the help system, Magic Online is quickly get new players knowledgeable and involved in the game.
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